The Cheng family remain hopeful Lucky Sweynesse can earn another trip to Japan later this year, but first they want to see their sprinter-turned-miler run well enough in Sunday’s Champions Mile to keep alive their dream of winning the Yasuda Kinen.
The former Hong Kong Champion Sprinter (2022/23) had raced solely over 1200m and 1400m before this season, but Lucky Sweynesse has since thrived at the mile at Sha Tin for the Cheng family — Cheng Ming Leung, Cheng Yu Tung, Cheng Mei Mei and Cheng Yu-wai. He was second to Romantic Warrior in January’s Group 1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) before winning the Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m), away from the shadow of the world’s best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising.
Speaking at Thursday morning’s Champions Day barrier draw, owner Leo Cheng Yu-wai told Idol Horse: “To win the Yasuda Kinen is our dream race to win. We went to the race 18 years ago and it became our dream. We hope we can join the race.”
That dream dates back to 2008, when Cheng attended the Yasuda Kinen with his father, Cheng Ming Leung, and family friend Wong Yuk-lun, whose horse Armada ran second behind dual Japanese Horse of the Year Vodka.
Lucky Sweynesse moved a step toward that dream last year when the galloper lined up in the Group 1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m) at Nakayama in Tokyo, where he finished 11th.
“Lucky Sweynesse is very fit right now,” Cheng said. “We hope he can run well on Sunday. I haven’t discussed it with our jockey yet, but he can lead, he can follow the speed, or he can sit behind it. He has that versatility. After that, we will discuss Japan.”∎
